The Eye-Fi wireless memory card (Review)

SHOOT photos and videos with your digital camera and never have to worry about manually transfering them to your computer or mobile device. Leon Saw reviews.

Ever had the problem of taking forever, rummaging through the tangled mess that is your container of electronic equipment accessories, looking for your digital camera cable or memory card reader to transfer images or videos from one device to another? It’s like trying to find a rather modern needle in an inorganic haystack.

Thankfully, with gadgets increasingly going wireless and the technology having made its way into digital cameras, you won’t need any sort of ‘needle’ to upload your media from them.

The technology in question here is Eye-Fi’s wireless SDHC memory cards for digital cameras, more specifically, the X2 series. The cards in the series include the 8GB Pro X2, 4GB Connect X2, and 8GB Mobile X2, retailing at AU$119.99, AU$59.99, and AU$99.99 respectively. They basically function like any other SDHC memory card, storing photos and videos in digital cameras, but also allow you to transfer them from card to smartphones or computers via Wi-Fi.

Setting up an Eye-Fi card is a breeze. Simply plug it into a computer with an internet connection, using the included USB card reader to install the Eye-Fi program and add the local Wi-Fi network to the card. Once done, load it into a digital camera and start shooting. Whenever the camera is switched on and within the designated Wi-Fi network, it will automatically export the media in the card to the open Eye-Fi program.

Do bear in mind that being a wireless transfer, it does take slightly longer than physically connecting the card.

The card can also be programmed to export its contents directly (Direct Mode) to a smartphone or tablet with the Eye-Fi Android or iOS App.

But Eye-Fi’s X2 series of wireless SDHC memory cards aren’t just about conveniently transferring media from digital cameras to other devices. They also have various other features which make shooting photos and videos, and sharing them, that much more hassle free.

An Eye-Fi card comes with Eye-Fi View which, when enabled, and with the card in a functioning digital camera in range of the selected network, automatically uploads all its contents onto the Eye-Fi Centre where they’re stored for seven days, and can be viewed on any web browser.

If you’d like to store your media on the Eye-Fi Centre indefinitely, you can subscribe to Eye-Fi Premium at US$4.99 a month or US$49.99 annually.

With an Eye-Fi card in your digital camera, not only will you never ever have to remove it, you also won’t ever have to manually delete its contents. Your card’s Endless Memory function can be programmed to automatically remove media that’s already been safely transferred to your designated device.

Additionally, if you’re using the 8GB Pro X2 card, you can enable its Geotagging feature to automatically label your photos, based on location, as they’re taken. If it’s the 4GB Connect X2 or 8GB Mobile X2 card you’re got in your digital camera, the feature can be activated for a onetime payment of US$29.99.

Eye-Fi’s X2 series of wireless SDHC memory cards are compatible with most digital cameras from leading manufacturers (the Eye-Fi website has a comprehensive list), and are now available at major camera and electronic retail outlets in Australia.

If I could give some feedback, this reads more like a product announcement than it does a review. It is mainly a list of the different models available, pricing, and the list of features, as opposed to a review.

Also, Fstoppers has a great video on how to tether a camera to an iPad, using the Eye-Fi card. It’s great for quick review of images, better than the 3″ screen on the back of a camera. I have personally used it on several occasions, and it works great.

About

Meld Magazine was incorporated as an independent not-for-profit media outlet in September 2008 to reach out to international students in Melbourne, and provide students the opportunity to gain real work experience.

Many international students live in or around the city because of the proximity to their colleges and universities, and that was where we decided to focus our efforts first. Many of us live, work and study locally too. Our editorial team is made of both local and international students, and it has worked to our advantage in providing local content in every sense of the word.